The documentation set for this product strives to use bias-free language. For the purposes of this documentation set, bias-free is defined as language that does not imply discrimination based on age, disability, gender, racial identity, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. Exceptions may be present in the documentation due to language that is hardcoded in the user interfaces of the product software, language used based on RFP documentation, or language that is used by a referenced third-party product. Learn more about how Cisco is using Inclusive Language.
Cisco UCS Director supports the creation and monitoring of F5 load balancers.
Although load balancing may be prevalent in the routing environment, it is also of growing importance in the virtual networking and VM environment. Server load balancing is a mechanism for distributing traffic across multiple virtual servers, offering high application and server resource utilization.
Server load balancing (SLB) is the process of deciding to which server a load-balancing device should send a client request for service. For example, a client request can consist of an HTTP GET for a web page or an FTP GET to download a file. The job of the load balancer is to select the server that can successfully fulfill the client request and do so in the shortest amount of time without overloading either the server or the server farm as a whole.
Depending on the load-balancing algorithm or predictor that you configure, the F5 BIG-IP performs a series of checks and calculations to determine the server that can best service each client request. F5 BIG-IP bases server selection on several factors, including the server with the fewest connections regarding load, source or destination address, cookies, URLs, or HTTP headers.
A high-level process flow of load balancing is as follows:
A client attempts to connect with a service on the load balancer.
The load balancer accepts the connection.
The load balancer decides which host should receive the connection and changes the destination IP address (or port) in order to match the service of the selected host.
The host accepts the load balancer's connection and responds to the original source, to the client (through its default route), and to the load balancer.
The load balancer acquires the return packet from the host and changes the source IP address (or port) to correspond to the virtual server IP address and port, and forwards the packet back to the client.
The client receives the return packet, assuming it came from the virtual server, and continues the rest of the process.
Cisco UCS Director enables the management, orchestration, and monitoring of the F5 load balancer. Following is a summary of the crucial processes:
Add the F5 load balancer. To add the F5 load balancer, choose Physical Accounts page, click Managed Network Elements and then click Add Network Element.
. On theOn adding the F5 load balancer as a managed element, Cisco UCS Director triggers Cisco UCS Director task inventory collection. The polling interval configured on the System Tasks specifies the frequency of inventory collection.
After the F5 load balancer is added to the Pod, it is listed with all other components of the pod environment at the account level. To see the F5 component information, choose Network page, choose the Pod and click Managed Network Elements.
. On theThere are two ways to implement load balancing on an F5 device using Cisco UCS Director:
Use an iApps (BIG-IP) application service.
iApps application templates let you configure the BIG-IP system for your HTTP applications, by functioning as an interface to consistently deploy, manage, and monitor your servers. You can use default iApps templates or create and customize a template to implement load balancing on the F5 device.
Use Cisco UCS Director to:
This section describes common terms found in the F5 BIG-IP environment. In a load-balancing environment, a virtual server is a construct that allows multiple physical servers to appear as one for load-balancing purposes. A virtual server is bound to physical services running on real servers in a server farm and uses IP address and port information to distribute incoming client requests to the servers in the server farm according to a specified load-balancing algorithm.
Virtual servers—In a load-balancing environment, a virtual server is a construct that allows multiple physical servers to appear as one for load-balancing purposes. A virtual server is bound to physical services running on real servers in a server farm and uses IP address and port information to distribute incoming client requests to the servers in the server farm according to a specified load-balancing algorithm.
Pools—A pool is a collection of virtual servers that provide similar services available on multiple hosts. (See the pool members or nodes entry for additional information.)
Pool members or nodes—When creating a pool, you assign one or more pool members to it. A pool member or node is a logical object that represents a physical node (and a service) on the network. When you add a virtual server to a pool, it becomes a pool member. A member or node includes the TCP port of the actual application that is receiving traffic.
Tip | A virtual server can be a member of multiple pools. In a different pool, it can have different attributes and play a different role. For example, a virtual server could be a backup resource for a different type of requests, such as requests from a different part of the world. |
Nodes—Physical servers that receive traffic from a load balancer.
Profiles—A profile can be either local or roaming. We recommended that you operate using roaming profiles rather than local profiles. Using roaming profiles assures you that your settings are always available to you at all times.
In order to create a virtual server that supports load balancing, first add a network element in Cisco UCS Director. After a Load Balancer is added as a network element in Cisco UCS Director, it appears on the Managed Network Element screen.
You must be logged in to the appliance to complete this task.
Adding the F5 Load Balancer triggers the system task inventory collection. The polling interval configured on the System Tasks screen specifies the frequency of inventory collection.
What to Do Next
To modify or edit a virtual server, choose the server, and then click Modify. To remove a virtual server, choose the server, and then click Delete.
The Application Services screen provides information on the following items:
Note | F5 BIG-IP devices with versions lower than 12.0 show a blank Active Device column. |
This topic describes how to create an application service for a selected pod.
Step 1 | Choose . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 2 | Choose a pod that includes the F5 network, expand the directory as necessary, and click the F5 network. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 3 | Click Application Services. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 4 | Click Create. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 5 | On the Create Application Service screen, complete the following fields:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 6 | Click Submit. |
In a load-balancing environment, a virtual server is a construct that allows multiple physical servers to appear as one for load-balancing purposes. A virtual server is bound to physical services running on real servers in a server farm. The virtual server uses IP address and port information to distribute incoming client requests to the servers in the server farm according to a specified load-balancing algorithm.
Although the virtual server is of primary importance because it is used to administer pools and pool members, the practical flow of performing the setup is as follows:
Before you can create a virtual server that supports load balancing, you must add the F5 load balancer as a network element.
Tip | To get inventory information about the F5 device, navigate to , then click the middle of the large Pod icon. In the row of Network images, double-click BIG-IP to see current information about it. |
An account with the F5 BIG-IP server.
Step 1 | Choose . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 2 | Click a pod in
which one of the Managed Network Elements is the F5 BIG-IP device you want to
use, then click the network.
With a Pod highlighted under and the Managed Network Elements selected, a row of information in the table include the IP address for the F5 BIG-IP device you want to. In the left column, click the network associated with this device. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 3 | Click Virtual Servers and then click Create. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 4 | On the Create Virtual Server complete the following fields:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 5 | Click Submit. |
The Virtual Servers screen provides information on the following items:
Pod Name
Virtual Server Name
Status
Destination IP Address
Service Port
Type
Partition/Path
Active Device
Note | F5 BIG-IP devices with versions lower than 12.0 show a blank Active Device column. |
Create a Virtual Server.
The Virtual Servers Statistics screen provides information on the following items:
Create a Virtual Server.
The Virtual Address screen provides information on the following items:
Note | F5 BIG-IP devices with versions lower than 12.0 show a blank Active Device column. |
You can update the traffic group for a virtual address associated with the pod.
Step 1 | Choose . |
Step 2 | Choose a pod. |
Step 3 | Choose the load balancing server. |
Step 4 | Click Virtual Address. |
Step 5 | Choose the virtual address for which you want to update the traffic group, and click Update Traffic Group. |
Step 6 | On the Update Traffic Group screen, you can select the new traffic group, or check Inherit Traffic Group from current Partition/Path. |
Step 7 | Click Submit. |
The Pool list screen enables you to create a new pool to the list of pools associated with an F5 load balancer. It also allows you to delete a pool, or to modify a pool by adding or deleting pool members.
The Pool list screen lists the following data for each pool:
Step 1 | Choose . | ||||||||||
Step 2 | Click the pod that supports the F5 BIG-IP network that you want to use, then click that network. | ||||||||||
Step 3 | Click Pool List to view the existing list of pools.
Using controls that appear in the screen, you can also delete a pool from this list, see the members of any selected pool, or add or delete members of an existing pool. | ||||||||||
Step 4 | Click Create. | ||||||||||
Step 5 | On the Create Pool screen, complete the following fields:
| ||||||||||
Step 6 | Click Submit. | ||||||||||
Step 7 | To see additional details about available pools and nodes, see Pool Statistics, Node list, and Node Statistics screens. |
Create a Pool.
Step 1 | Choose . |
Step 2 | Click the pod that supports the F5 BIG-IP network of interest to you, then click that network. |
Step 3 | Click Pool List to view the existing list of pools.
Using controls that appear in this screen, you can also create or delete a pool from this list, or see the members of any selected pool. |
Step 4 | Click the pool in which you want to add, delete, or modify members, then click View Details. The Pool Members screen appears, listing the members of the pool you most recently selected. |
Step 5 | To add a member to the selected pool, click Add. The Add Pool Member screen appears. |
Step 6 | If you want to
use an existing Node, then check the box labeled "Do you want to use existing
node?" Otherwise, provide the Address and Service port.
A message confirms that the member was added to the pool successfully. |
Step 7 | If you do not
want to use an existing Node, then provide the Address and Service Port data
and click Submit.
A message confirms that the member was added to the pool successfully and the new member is listed. |
Step 8 | To return to the Pool List screen, click the Back button. |
The Pool Statistics screen provides the following information:
Create a Virtual Server.
The Node list screen provides information on the following items:
Create a Virtual Server.
The Node Statistics screen provides the following information:
Create a Virtual Server.
The TCP Profiles screen provides information on the following items:
Create a Virtual Server.
The UDP Profiles screen provides information on the following items:
A partition is a logical container that you can create to contain a defined set of BIG-IP system objects. As an Administrator to the BIG-IP system, you can create administrative partitions to control other users' access to BIG-IP objects. When a specific set of objects resides in a partition, you can give certain users the authority to view and manage the objects in that partition only, rather than to all objects on the BIG-IP system.
In order to create a partition, perform the following procedure:
You must be logged in to the appliance to complete the task.
Step 1 | On the menu bar, choose . | ||||||
Step 2 | Choose Managed Network Elements. | ||||||
Step 3 | Select a device from the Unassigned Pods in the left pane. | ||||||
Step 4 | Double click the element or select it from F5. | ||||||
Step 5 | Click Partition and a list of previously created partitions are displayed. | ||||||
Step 6 | Click Create to add a partition. | ||||||
Step 7 | On the Create Partition screen, complete the following fields:
| ||||||
Step 8 | Click Submit. The partition is created successfully. | ||||||
Step 9 | Click OK.
|
You can delete partitions you have created. To delete partitions, click Delete under Partition or in the F5 appliance, go to , select the partition, and click Delete.
The Device Group report provides information on the following items:
An account with the F5 BIG-IP server.
Step 1 | Choose . | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 2 | Choose pod in which one of the Managed Network Elements is the F5 BIG-IP device you want to use, then click that network. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 3 | Click Device Group and then click Create. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 4 | On the Create Device Group screen, complete the following fields:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Step 5 | Click Submit. |
You can modify a device group or delete a device group by selecting the device group and clicking Modify or Delete respectively.
The Traffic Group report provides information on the following items:
The Traffic Group Device Stats report provides information on the following items:
An account with the F5 BIG-IP server.
Step 1 | Choose . | ||||||||||||||||||
Step 2 | Choose a pod in which one of the Managed Network Elements is the F5 BIG-IP device you want to use, then click that network. | ||||||||||||||||||
Step 3 | Click Traffic Group and then click Create. | ||||||||||||||||||
Step 4 | On the Create Traffic Group screen, complete the following fields:
| ||||||||||||||||||
Step 5 | Click Submit. |
You can modify a traffic group or delete a traffic group by selecting the traffic group and clicking Modify or Delete respectively.
Cisco UCS Director lets you force a traffic group to a standby state. By forcing the traffic group into a standby state, the traffic group becomes idle on the device, and becomes active on another device in the device group.
Step 1 | Choose . |
Step 2 | Choose a pod in which one of the Managed Network Elements is the F5 BIG-IP device you want to use, then click that network. |
Step 3 | Click Traffic Group. |
Step 4 | Choose the traffic group that you want to force into a standby state and click Force Standby. |
Step 5 | On the Force Traffic Group To Standby screen, click Submit. |
The Device Info report provides information on the following items:
The HA Group report provides information on the following items: